Fixable flange gasket

ABSTRACT

In order to seal a housing ( 1 ) that is provided with a flange ( 2 ) and needs to be connected to a wall cutout or another flange, the invention proposes a flange gasket ( 7 ) with collars ( 11 ) that protrude from the material plane ( 9 ) of the flange gasket ( 7 ) and are arranged in the region of mounting holes ( 3 ) in the flange ( 2 ), wherein mounting screws ( 5 ) are inserted into the openings ( 10 ) of said collars and held therein at least until the installation of the flange.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to a fixable flange gasket for sealing a housingthat is provided with a flange and needs to be connected to a wallcutout or another connecting flange.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A flange gasket of this type is used for installing a housing or thelike that is provided with a flange in any desired fitting position,namely such that the required mounting screws cannot fall out of themounting holes.

It is common practice to cut flange gaskets of this type such that theyare precisely fitted to the respective flange, wherein the openings forthe mounting screws correspond to those in the flange. This means thatthe mounting screws for rigidly connecting the flanges can beeffortlessly pushed through these openings.

However, the installation in any desired fitting position is quitedifficult with a thusly designed flange gasket because the object to bemounted, the flange gasket and the mounting screws need to be somehowheld together and mounted with the aid of the mounting screws.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the objective of designing a flange gasket ofthe initially described type for use on a housing in such a way that theinstallation is simplified by holding the mounting screws in theopenings in the flange gasket.

According to the invention, this objective is attained in that collarsprotruding from the plane of the flange [gasket] material are arrangedon the flange gasket in the region of the flange mounting holes, and inthat the mounting screws can be inserted into the openings of saidcollars.

Advantageous embodiments of invention are disclosed in Claims 2-5.

The advantages attained with the invention can be seen, in particular,in that the housing and the flange gasket with the mounting screwspre-installed therein form a unit that can be installed in any desiredinstallation or fitting position, namely because the mounting screws areprevented from falling out of the mounting holes of the flange even ifthe unit is installed overhead.

The mounting screws can be advantageously inserted into the openings ofthe collars that protrude from the plane of the flange gasket materialand are arranged congruently with the mounting holes in the flange.

It is also advantageous to provide at least one sealing lip on the innerwall of the collars in order to secure the mounting screws from fallingout.

The mounting holes corresponding to the respective collars of the flangegasket have a correspondingly adapted or widened diameter such that theflange gasket is already held in the mounting holes when it is joinedwith the flange. It is also proposed to manufacture the flange gasket inthe form of a moulded article in order to allow the utilization ofoptimal materials.

The screws and the flange gasket are fixed on the flange of a connectorhousing that is not described in greater detail such that theinstallation of such a housing on a corresponding mounting part issignificantly simplified.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the figures anddescribed in greater detail below. The figures show:

FIG. 1, a perspective representation of a flanged connector housing anda flange gasket spaced apart therefrom;

FIG. 2, a perspective representation of a flange gasket with a flangehousing spaced apart therefrom, and

FIG. 3, a section through a mounting hole in the flanged housing with amounting screw inserted therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a connector housing 1 with a flange 2 in the form of aperspective representation of the open connecting side of the connector.

Due to the chosen viewing angle, a flange gasket 7 is visible behind thehousing 1, wherein this flange gasket serves for producing an absolutelytight connection with a not-shown housing or another flange. In additionto the cutout 8 for the cables leading out of the connector, the flangegasket 7 also contains openings 10 for mounting screws that arerespectively surrounded by a collar 11 protruding from the materialplane 9 of the flange gasket 7.

This figure also shows a clip 6 for producing a separable connectionwith a not-shown mating connector.

FIG. 2 also shows a perspective representation, however, of the oppositeside of the flange gasket 7 and the housing 1 referred to FIG. 1.

This figure clearly shows the cutout 8 as well as the arrangement of theopenings 10 in the flange gasket 7.

The mounting holes 3 in the flange 2 of the housing for accommodatingthe mounting screws are provided with a region 4 of increased diameter,wherein the collar 11 of the flange gasket 7 protrudes into this widenedregion. In this case, the diameters of the opening 4 and of the collar11 are chosen such that the flange gasket is already fixed on the flangewhen the collars are inserted into the openings 4.

FIG. 3 shows an enlarged partial section through one of the mountingholes 3 in the flange 2 with a mounting screw 5 inserted therein.

The flange gasket 7 is placed on the flange 2 of the housing 1 in aprecisely fitted fashion, wherein the collars 11 of the flange gasketpenetrate into the widened regions 4 of the mounting holes 3 in theflange. These widened regions 4 are absolutely imperative for a thuslydesigned flange gasket.

FIG. 3 also shows an inner sealing lip 13 that is integrally mouldedonto the collar end 12 and tightly adjoins the shaft of the mountingscrew 5 such the mounting screw is prevented from falling out and asealing effect is simultaneously achieved.

1. A fixable flange gasket for sealing a housing that is provided with aflange and needs to be connected to a wall cutout or another connectingflange, characterized in that several collars protruding from the planeof the flange gasket material are arranged on the flange gasket in theregion of the mounting holes in the flange, wherein mounting screws canbe inserted into the openings of said collars.
 2. The fixable flangegasket according to claim 1, characterized in that an inner sealing lipis provided in the opening of the collar.
 3. The fixable flange gasketaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the sealing lip isintegrally moulded onto the collar end protruding from the materialplane of the flange gasket.
 4. The fixable flange gasket according toclaim 1, characterized in that the collar penetrates into acorrespondingly widened region of the mounting hole in the flange. 5.The fixable flange gasket according to claim 4, characterized in thatthe outside diameter of the collar is adapted to the inside diameter ofthe widened region of the mounting hole in such a way that the flangegasket is held on the flange.
 6. The fixable flange gasket according toclaim 2, characterized in that the collar penetrates into acorrespondingly widened region of the mounting hole in the flange. 7.The fixable flange gasket according to claim 6, characterized in thatthe outside diameter of the collar is adapted to the inside diameter ofthe widened region of the mounting hole in such a way that the flangegasket is held on the flange.
 8. The fixable flange gasket according toclaim 3, characterized in that the collar penetrates into acorrespondingly widened region of the mounting hole in the flange. 9.The fixable flange gasket according to claim 8, characterized in thatthe outside diameter of the collar is adapted to the inside diameter ofthe widened region of the mounting hole in such a way that the flangegasket is held on the flange.